To Thomas Jefferson from William Keteltas, 16 February 1805
From William Keteltas
New York 16h Feby 1805
Dr Sir
To fill the Vacancy Occasioned by the Death of Judge Hobart Must shortly Engage the attention of the Executive, In answer to a former Communication on a similar subject the President suggested a desire to Receive every Information on the subject of appointments to Enable him to form the best opinion from the Whole of the fitness of Candidates for office, In Compliance with your Wish, I take the liberty to suggest, that no person in this State is better, if so well Quallified to fill the said Vacancy as Judge Livingston—And no appointment in My Opinion would give More general satisfaction, I do not Know that Judge Livingston is a Candidate, but being informed he is about Resigning his seat as one of the Judges of the supreme Court of this State It would be of Importance to this Important District and to the Present Administration to have so able, and superior Judge suceed Mr. Hobart
With the Greatest Respect
Wm Keteltas
RC (DNA: RG 59, LAR); at foot of text: “Thomas Jefferson Esqr. President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 20 Feb. and “Livingston Brockholst to be distr. judge” and so recorded in SJL.
On 5 Feb., U.S. attorney Nathan Sanford wrote to Madison to inform him that John Sloss Hobart had died on 4 Feb. “after a short illness” (RC in same, endorsed by TJ: “Hobart John Sloss Distr. judge N. Y. dead”; Vol. 38:123).